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Article CORRESPONDENCE. Page 1 of 1 Article PREROGATIVES OF GRAND LODGE AND OF M.W. GRAND MASTER. Page 1 of 1 Article PREROGATIVES OF GRAND LODGE AND OF M.W. GRAND MASTER. Page 1 of 1 Article ELECTION FOR COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT. Page 1 of 2 →
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . — : o : —
FRENCH BRETHREN OPPOSED TO THE REVO LUTION IN THE LAST CENTURY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In a work named below , I came aoross the following interesting paragraph . Comment is unnecessary . It may , however , famish an item for Brother Gould ' s "History of Freemasonry . " Fraternally yours ,
JACOB NORTON . Boston , 1 st June 1883 . " We have already noticed the protest signed by the princes of the blood in 1771 , in which both the Duke of Orleans and the Duke de Chartres joined , and their subsequent retractation after the death of Count de Clermont . The Count had been the Grand Master of the
Freemasons in France , and the Duke de Chartres was elected his successor ; but as he had not attained the age prescribed b y the statutes of the Institution , the Duke de Luxemberg was appointed administrator in the interim . Among the many absurdities propagated at a later date , was the assertion that the Freemasons had already planned the French Revolution , ancl that the Duke de Chartres joined in the conspiracy when he became Grand Master . It
is only necessary to notice that the Duke de Luxemberg , his Deputy , was President of the Order of the Noblesse in 1789 , and was the most vehement opponent of the Revolution , that nearly all the members of the Lodge to which the Duke belonged emigrated , and that only one of them ever took an active part in the Revolution , that one being the Dno de Lauzun—better known as Marshal Biron . " " Memoirs of the Honse of Orleans . " By W . Cooke Taylor , LL . D . Vol . II , p 28 . London : Richard Bentley , 1850 .
Prerogatives Of Grand Lodge And Of M.W. Grand Master.
PREROGATIVES OF GRAND LODGE AND OF M . W . GRAND MASTER .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It would appear , from the manner in which , at the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , the objection of the R . W . Past District Grand Master for China to the recent alteration of the Table of Precedence of Grand Lodge Officers was met by the Grand Registrar , that a most important question relating to prerogatives is about to be fought ont between the " pur . pie " and the "blue . " Unless the discussion which will assuredly
ensue on motions to be made is conducted in a fair and impartial spirit on both sides ( alas ! that there shonld be " sides " in Masonry ) , it is certain that much heartburning , and possibly schism , may be the result . Tbe question of prescriptive and indefeasible rights cannot , in this instance , be debated without referenco to the present illustrious occupant of the throne of the representative of the R . S .,
but it ought to be generally understood that the very utmost loyalty to tbe person may be entertained conjointly with a conviction that the privileges and powers of tbe offioe shonld be clearly defined . As matters now stand , the genial warmth of a devoted loyalty is exposed " to influences which might materially lower its temperature , and that through no fault in thonght or action of the
distinguished ruler of the English Craft . In view of the remarks which fell from our highly respected Pro Grand Master in reference to my observations at the last Quarterly Communication , I would say that I have always , and do still , disclaim personality in my endeavonrs to express my sentiments on subjects of public importance ; and , however much my probably too exoited delivery in speech may be
misconstrued , I entertain a deep , though not servile , veneration foi lawfull y constituted authority . That such veneration shonld , however , be perfect , it is necessary that no self-imposed blindness , palpable defects in motives or actions , shonld be permitted to interpose . So much by way of introduction of my snbjeot . I propose to submit , through your pages , if permitted , several points relating to the
Prerogatives of the Grand Lodge , and of its Grand Master , for the consideration of the brethren interested in the question which has arisen . And , inasmuch as the Grand Lodge is the primary body from which all Masonic authority emanates , precedence in argument must be given to it . What , then , are the prerogatives of Grand Lodge , as set forth by the
Ancient Constitutions of tho Order ? First— " The Grand Lodge alone has the inherent power of enactln K laws ard regulations for the government of tbe Craft , and of altering , repealing , and abrogating them , always taking care that the ancient landmarks of the Order be preserved . " ( Cons , p 24 , section 16 . ) Grand Lodge alone . That is"the general
representa-, tion of ali private Lodges on record , together with the Grand « , r ardS ° f the year ' ancl the Present ancl Past Graml Officers , and the Grand Master at their head , " each and every member of which collective body possesses equal rights in general assembly in deliberating upon and " deciding all matters relative to the Craft . " This
then , is the supreme prerogative of Grand Lodge , which all alike have ? ot only . to uphold , bnt , without any distinction whatever , to observe , ¦ tlas this prerogative been recognised ancl maintained as it should nave been ? There is a law extant , created in 1869-70 , under the terms of the eighth section of the then and still existing regulations
Prerogatives Of Grand Lodge And Of M.W. Grand Master.
for the government of Grand Lodge , which has been neither altered , repealed , nor abrograted , but which has been persistently obstructed , and yet remains inoperative . Tt may be hero remarked that no reference appears to be mule in the draft of the proposed revision of tho Constitutions to this "landmark , " whioh has hitherto been presumed to be authoritative in respect of Grand Lodgo
resolutions ; and that , unless care be taken not to lose sight of so important an elision , this necessary provision may bo altogether sot aside . Second—The Grand Lodge , eqnallv with the Grand Master , can constitnte brethren , nnder certain qualifications , members of its body , with snch rank and distinction as may be thought proper . Third—The election of the Grand Master , and Grand Treasurer
annually . Fourth—The appointment of the Board of General Purposes ( in part ) and of all Committees . In referenco to this prerogative it may not be altogether ont of place to ask whether or not the Grand Lodge was consulted in respect of the proposed Revision of the Book of
Constitutions , a work of snch magnitude and great importance that rather . merited the appointment of a special Committee than the spontaneous , however praiseworthy , aotion of the Board of General Pnrposes , whose special business is defined in the regulations of the Order , and does not extend to the initiatory introduction of new matters of debate .
All other minor prerogatives of Grand Lodge which are referred to in the present Book of Constitutions may be considered as embodied in the supreme prerogative first above mentioned . We have now to consider the prerogatives of the Most Worshipfnl Grand Master , which , in so far as they are expressed by the Constitutions of the Order , appear to
be—First : The appointment of the Grand Officers for the year , excepting only the Grand Treasurer . In respect of the exercise of this prerogative , there is not any regulation whioh either provides for or prohibits the appointment of any one Grand Officer for a longer period than ono year , and there is no record that the practice of continuing the same brethren in office for successive years is other than
a modern arrangement . As to the advisability of such continued appointments , opinions may differ ; but there are not wanting many members of Grand Lodge who consider that every Grand Office , except those of the Grand Seoretary and his assistant , should be open year by year to brethren equally qualified with the present holders thereof for the discharge of duties appertaining to the respective
dignities . It is only in the case of the Grand Secretary that provision is made for continued service , by the express regulation that after being " appointed by the Grand Master he shall continue without reappointment during the pleasnre of Grand Lodge . " And provision is made for past Grand rank being accorded to other Grand Officers on retirement after ( presumably ) one year ' s service . Whilst , however ,
tbe Constitutions of the Order remain as they are , and as they are likely to remain , unless the promoters of the proposed Revision are stirred to further efforts , it may well be considered that the Most Worshipful Grand Master ' s prerogative in this respeot is full and indefeasible . Second : The appointment of brethren of eminence to represent
him m sister Grand Lodges , and tho constitution of distinguished personages as members of the Grand Lodge of England . Third : The authority to preside over the meetings of any Lodges . Fourth : The power to summons any Lodge or brother to attend him , ancl produce warrant , papers and certificates ; but the power to expel any member from the Order is expressly reserved to the Grand
Lodgp . Fifth : The appointment of Provincial and District Grand Masters , Sixth : The power to giant dispensations in certain cases . Seventh : The nomination of the President and ten members of the Board of General Purposes . The foregoing are the only prerogatives expressly reserved to the
Most Worshipful Grand Master by the Constitutions , and neither directly nor by implication is there any alienation from the Grand Lodge of its "inherent power" to decide and determine all other matters relating to the Craft . No person whatever is delegated whereby the order of precedence in rank , " declared and pronounced " in 1813 , can be disturbed , nor can the " Prerogative of the M . W . G . M . "
be justly advanced against the enactment , alteration , repeal , or abrogation by the Grand Lodge of any of its rules and regulations . There has been much , of late , connected with the proceedings of Grand Lodge which has caused great dissatisfaction ( I speak for others as well as for myself ) , and it has become , one might almost say , absolutely necessary that the Craft generally should ascertain on
what principles of abstract justice they are ruled . There are none amongst ns , I should hope , so obtruseasto suppose that late occurrences have been the result of the nninfluenced action of our Royal Chief , but there are a few who directly attribute them to most unwise counsel on the part of those who are , by virtue of their Offices , his immediate advisers .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS P . M . 1216 , P . Z . Clapham , 18 th Jnne 1883 .
Election For Committee Of Management.
ELECTION FOR COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT .
To ( he Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . ¦ DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In answer to Bro . Atkins , permit me space in your columns to assnre him that I never doubted bis fitness for the office to which he has been elected ; still , however fit any one
may be , if he neglects to perform tho duties appertaining to an office he is only uselessly keeping out others who are able , willing , aud have the time at their disposal , to givo their services to the bnsiness to which they have been elected . Bro . Atkins's attendances , when formerl y he was a member of the Committee named in my
Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software.
Correspondence.
CORRESPONDENCE .
We do not hold ourselves responsible for the opinions of our Cor . respondents . All Letters must bear the name anl address of the Writer , not necessarily for publication , but as a guarantee of good faith . We cannot undertake to return rejected communications . — : o : —
FRENCH BRETHREN OPPOSED TO THE REVO LUTION IN THE LAST CENTURY .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In a work named below , I came aoross the following interesting paragraph . Comment is unnecessary . It may , however , famish an item for Brother Gould ' s "History of Freemasonry . " Fraternally yours ,
JACOB NORTON . Boston , 1 st June 1883 . " We have already noticed the protest signed by the princes of the blood in 1771 , in which both the Duke of Orleans and the Duke de Chartres joined , and their subsequent retractation after the death of Count de Clermont . The Count had been the Grand Master of the
Freemasons in France , and the Duke de Chartres was elected his successor ; but as he had not attained the age prescribed b y the statutes of the Institution , the Duke de Luxemberg was appointed administrator in the interim . Among the many absurdities propagated at a later date , was the assertion that the Freemasons had already planned the French Revolution , ancl that the Duke de Chartres joined in the conspiracy when he became Grand Master . It
is only necessary to notice that the Duke de Luxemberg , his Deputy , was President of the Order of the Noblesse in 1789 , and was the most vehement opponent of the Revolution , that nearly all the members of the Lodge to which the Duke belonged emigrated , and that only one of them ever took an active part in the Revolution , that one being the Dno de Lauzun—better known as Marshal Biron . " " Memoirs of the Honse of Orleans . " By W . Cooke Taylor , LL . D . Vol . II , p 28 . London : Richard Bentley , 1850 .
Prerogatives Of Grand Lodge And Of M.W. Grand Master.
PREROGATIVES OF GRAND LODGE AND OF M . W . GRAND MASTER .
To the Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —It would appear , from the manner in which , at the last Quarterly Communication of Grand Lodge , the objection of the R . W . Past District Grand Master for China to the recent alteration of the Table of Precedence of Grand Lodge Officers was met by the Grand Registrar , that a most important question relating to prerogatives is about to be fought ont between the " pur . pie " and the "blue . " Unless the discussion which will assuredly
ensue on motions to be made is conducted in a fair and impartial spirit on both sides ( alas ! that there shonld be " sides " in Masonry ) , it is certain that much heartburning , and possibly schism , may be the result . Tbe question of prescriptive and indefeasible rights cannot , in this instance , be debated without referenco to the present illustrious occupant of the throne of the representative of the R . S .,
but it ought to be generally understood that the very utmost loyalty to tbe person may be entertained conjointly with a conviction that the privileges and powers of tbe offioe shonld be clearly defined . As matters now stand , the genial warmth of a devoted loyalty is exposed " to influences which might materially lower its temperature , and that through no fault in thonght or action of the
distinguished ruler of the English Craft . In view of the remarks which fell from our highly respected Pro Grand Master in reference to my observations at the last Quarterly Communication , I would say that I have always , and do still , disclaim personality in my endeavonrs to express my sentiments on subjects of public importance ; and , however much my probably too exoited delivery in speech may be
misconstrued , I entertain a deep , though not servile , veneration foi lawfull y constituted authority . That such veneration shonld , however , be perfect , it is necessary that no self-imposed blindness , palpable defects in motives or actions , shonld be permitted to interpose . So much by way of introduction of my snbjeot . I propose to submit , through your pages , if permitted , several points relating to the
Prerogatives of the Grand Lodge , and of its Grand Master , for the consideration of the brethren interested in the question which has arisen . And , inasmuch as the Grand Lodge is the primary body from which all Masonic authority emanates , precedence in argument must be given to it . What , then , are the prerogatives of Grand Lodge , as set forth by the
Ancient Constitutions of tho Order ? First— " The Grand Lodge alone has the inherent power of enactln K laws ard regulations for the government of tbe Craft , and of altering , repealing , and abrogating them , always taking care that the ancient landmarks of the Order be preserved . " ( Cons , p 24 , section 16 . ) Grand Lodge alone . That is"the general
representa-, tion of ali private Lodges on record , together with the Grand « , r ardS ° f the year ' ancl the Present ancl Past Graml Officers , and the Grand Master at their head , " each and every member of which collective body possesses equal rights in general assembly in deliberating upon and " deciding all matters relative to the Craft . " This
then , is the supreme prerogative of Grand Lodge , which all alike have ? ot only . to uphold , bnt , without any distinction whatever , to observe , ¦ tlas this prerogative been recognised ancl maintained as it should nave been ? There is a law extant , created in 1869-70 , under the terms of the eighth section of the then and still existing regulations
Prerogatives Of Grand Lodge And Of M.W. Grand Master.
for the government of Grand Lodge , which has been neither altered , repealed , nor abrograted , but which has been persistently obstructed , and yet remains inoperative . Tt may be hero remarked that no reference appears to be mule in the draft of the proposed revision of tho Constitutions to this "landmark , " whioh has hitherto been presumed to be authoritative in respect of Grand Lodgo
resolutions ; and that , unless care be taken not to lose sight of so important an elision , this necessary provision may bo altogether sot aside . Second—The Grand Lodge , eqnallv with the Grand Master , can constitnte brethren , nnder certain qualifications , members of its body , with snch rank and distinction as may be thought proper . Third—The election of the Grand Master , and Grand Treasurer
annually . Fourth—The appointment of the Board of General Purposes ( in part ) and of all Committees . In referenco to this prerogative it may not be altogether ont of place to ask whether or not the Grand Lodge was consulted in respect of the proposed Revision of the Book of
Constitutions , a work of snch magnitude and great importance that rather . merited the appointment of a special Committee than the spontaneous , however praiseworthy , aotion of the Board of General Pnrposes , whose special business is defined in the regulations of the Order , and does not extend to the initiatory introduction of new matters of debate .
All other minor prerogatives of Grand Lodge which are referred to in the present Book of Constitutions may be considered as embodied in the supreme prerogative first above mentioned . We have now to consider the prerogatives of the Most Worshipfnl Grand Master , which , in so far as they are expressed by the Constitutions of the Order , appear to
be—First : The appointment of the Grand Officers for the year , excepting only the Grand Treasurer . In respect of the exercise of this prerogative , there is not any regulation whioh either provides for or prohibits the appointment of any one Grand Officer for a longer period than ono year , and there is no record that the practice of continuing the same brethren in office for successive years is other than
a modern arrangement . As to the advisability of such continued appointments , opinions may differ ; but there are not wanting many members of Grand Lodge who consider that every Grand Office , except those of the Grand Seoretary and his assistant , should be open year by year to brethren equally qualified with the present holders thereof for the discharge of duties appertaining to the respective
dignities . It is only in the case of the Grand Secretary that provision is made for continued service , by the express regulation that after being " appointed by the Grand Master he shall continue without reappointment during the pleasnre of Grand Lodge . " And provision is made for past Grand rank being accorded to other Grand Officers on retirement after ( presumably ) one year ' s service . Whilst , however ,
tbe Constitutions of the Order remain as they are , and as they are likely to remain , unless the promoters of the proposed Revision are stirred to further efforts , it may well be considered that the Most Worshipful Grand Master ' s prerogative in this respeot is full and indefeasible . Second : The appointment of brethren of eminence to represent
him m sister Grand Lodges , and tho constitution of distinguished personages as members of the Grand Lodge of England . Third : The authority to preside over the meetings of any Lodges . Fourth : The power to summons any Lodge or brother to attend him , ancl produce warrant , papers and certificates ; but the power to expel any member from the Order is expressly reserved to the Grand
Lodgp . Fifth : The appointment of Provincial and District Grand Masters , Sixth : The power to giant dispensations in certain cases . Seventh : The nomination of the President and ten members of the Board of General Purposes . The foregoing are the only prerogatives expressly reserved to the
Most Worshipful Grand Master by the Constitutions , and neither directly nor by implication is there any alienation from the Grand Lodge of its "inherent power" to decide and determine all other matters relating to the Craft . No person whatever is delegated whereby the order of precedence in rank , " declared and pronounced " in 1813 , can be disturbed , nor can the " Prerogative of the M . W . G . M . "
be justly advanced against the enactment , alteration , repeal , or abrogation by the Grand Lodge of any of its rules and regulations . There has been much , of late , connected with the proceedings of Grand Lodge which has caused great dissatisfaction ( I speak for others as well as for myself ) , and it has become , one might almost say , absolutely necessary that the Craft generally should ascertain on
what principles of abstract justice they are ruled . There are none amongst ns , I should hope , so obtruseasto suppose that late occurrences have been the result of the nninfluenced action of our Royal Chief , but there are a few who directly attribute them to most unwise counsel on the part of those who are , by virtue of their Offices , his immediate advisers .
I am , Dear Sir and Brother , Yours faithfully and fraternally , JAMES STEVENS P . M . 1216 , P . Z . Clapham , 18 th Jnne 1883 .
Election For Committee Of Management.
ELECTION FOR COMMITTEE OF MANAGEMENT .
To ( he Editor of the FREEMASON ' S CHRONICLE . ¦ DEAR SIR AND BROTHER , —In answer to Bro . Atkins , permit me space in your columns to assnre him that I never doubted bis fitness for the office to which he has been elected ; still , however fit any one
may be , if he neglects to perform tho duties appertaining to an office he is only uselessly keeping out others who are able , willing , aud have the time at their disposal , to givo their services to the bnsiness to which they have been elected . Bro . Atkins's attendances , when formerl y he was a member of the Committee named in my